Many teachers complain of ‘monster-parents’ who deeply intervene in teachers’ education activities and complain about teachers.

Nguyen Hang Nga, a teacher in Hai Duong province, said she has been offended by parents many times.

“A parent called me when I was on the way home. When I discovered there were two missed calls, I called him back immediately. But the parent got angry and accused me of not respecting him,” she said.

When the teacher explained that she was on the way and did not hear the phone bell, the parent shouted “I dare you to bully my son!”

“One of the topics of our discussions at school is the incorrect behavior of parents. A lot of my colleagues complain that they feel pressure from parents,” Nga said.

“Parents nowadays tend to threaten to sue teachers or write stories in newspapers if teachers don’t satisfy their requirements,” she complained.

“A student of mine could not find his overcoat at school, but he did not report the case to me, but reported directly to the school’s headmaster. He said his father will come to school to clarify the problem,” she said.

“But finally, he found the overcoat at home,” she said.

Ngoc Ly, a teacher in Hanoi, commented that parents tend to make excessive claims.

“We not only have to teach and take care of 40 students in every class, but also have to please 80 parents,” Ly said.

Meanwhile, Vu Thi Giang, a teacher in Hai Phong, said: “Teachers will be blamed for the students’ achievements that parents consider ‘unsatisfactory’.”

“My child is very clever, but he is a ‘good’ student only. You need to reconsider your teaching method and find out why he cannot be an ‘excellent’ student,” the parent told Giang.

Nguyen Viet Dang Du from Le Quy Don High School in HCMC said he has an ‘unforgettable’ memory in his teaching life. A parent complained to the school’s management board that Du organized a picnic for students.

“I organized a picnic to Phan Thiet City though the parent opposed the plan. The parent told the school’s management board that I violated teachers’ principles. He even threatened to bring the case to the court,” Du said.

Local newspapers have reported that a parent hit a teacher after discovering that his son had been hurt when playing with his friends.

A lecturer at the Hanoi University of Education commented that parents now think they are customers who pay for ‘education services’ and therefore have the right to criticize teachers and ask to sack teachers if they are not satisfied about the services.